Remarkable Underground City Of Nushabad: A Masterpiece Of Ancient Architecture

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The underground city of Nushabad, known as Ouyi to locals is located 8 km north of Kashan in Esfahan province, central Iran. It's a truly fascinating ancient place.

Nushabad underground city is considered to be one of the most remarkable underground cities in the world and a masterpiece of ancient architecture.

People could live in underground passages and room for several days without the need of going outside. Photo credits: Iran Front Page

There is also a  reason why the city is called Nushabad  ("city of cold tasty water"). In ancient times, one of the Sassanian kings was passing through the area and stopped to drink water from a well. As this water extremely clear and cold, the ordered to build a city around the well and name it Anoushabad which eventually became known as Nushabad.

Historical evidence indicates that Nushabad was mainly used as a shelter by people during the Mongol invasion in Iran in the 13th century and remained in use in emergency cases until the late Qajar dynastic period (1787-1921).

The three levels in this underground city were cleverly planned in a way that going to the different levels required moving from down to up. Photo credits: Iran Front Page

Some years ago, archaeologists made several interesting discoveries in the underground city of Nushabad. The excavations resulted in the discovery of large numbers of historic evidence including earthenware vessels and stone instruments dated to Sassanid (224-651 CE), Ilkhanid (1256-1336), and Safavid (1501-1736) dynastic periods.

They also found intricate canals, a number of chambers with different plans constructed in different stories, staircases, wells, and the path of aqueducts inside the city. It soon became obvious that different levels of this city were connected to each other through vertical and horizontal canals.

There are also some big stones similar to millstones next to every canal which were closed down while people were hiding in the lower stories.

The three levels in this underground city were cleverly planned in a way that going to the different levels required moving from down to up. Photo credits: Iran Front Page

Excavations of Noushabad revealed that the ventilation system used in the underground city, through devising canals made it possible for the refugees to breathe even at a depth of 20 meters below the ground. The underground city was a  perfect shelter for all people in need.
The depth of this underground city varies from 4 to 18 meters and the different spaces formed by carving the rocks seem a little frightening.

Ventilation system used in the underground city through devising canals made it possible for the refugees to breathe even at a depth of 20 meters below the ground. Photo credits: Iran Front Page

In order to reach the underground city, there were several different openings. Some of these openings were located inside the houses of people while others were located in important gathering places such as the main fort just outside the city.

People could live in underground passages and room for several days without the need of going outside. The three levels of the city were cleverly planned in a way that going to the different levels required moving from down to up.

The special usage of this underground city as a place where people could take shelter defined its architectural plan. Credits: Iran Front Page

This made it easier for the people sheltering in the underground city to prevent enemies from getting to the upper levels. Another interesting feature of their architecture was the curvy passages that made it possible for the inhabitants to ambush enemies.

Except for the main entrance, all the other parts of the city were about 170-180 centimeters in height to let people pass without any problem and several raised platforms were created in some walls for the people to sit.

Digging of deep holes in the middle of the rooms and covering them with rotating stones that would fall down if anyone stepped on them, was one of several tricks used to resist enemies and protect people in the underground city.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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